Various types of access doors for dwellings are known. One such access door is a sliding door assembly which includes one movable panel (the sliding door) and one fixed-panel (the fixed-panel door). Sliding door assemblies are particularly utilizable in residential and business dwellings for their appearance and functionality however, unique problems exist with such sliding door assemblies. One such concern in the manufacture of sliding door assemblies is the door sill. The sill is that portion of the assembly which provides the threshold over which one passes when passing through the door closure. Local building codes often specify sills that are tall, in order to block entry of water into the interior of the dwelling between the door panels. For example, in some states, sill requirements are often a few inches in height. These height requirements have not taken into consideration the handicapped or otherwise wheelchair person in mind. There are numerous instances of conflict between building codes requiring such barriers to prevent damages from water penetration and federal regulations covering ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Standards for Accessible design.
While sliding door assemblies adapted to be traversed by a wheelchair have been developed, and standards to handicap sills are set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) the evolution of handicap sills has generally not kept pace with that of standard sill assemblies. For example, many handicap sill assemblies fail to incorporate the water sealing technologies of standard assemblies and are thus susceptible to leaks between the sill and a closed door, particularly during wind blown rains. Further, currently available handicap sills are not designed to accommodate entryways with sliding doors.